How much do Lionel Messi and Neymar earn at PSG?
French outlet Le Parisien has published the PSG player salaries.
A day after Kylian Mbappé's mega-contract came to light, Le Parisien published what Lionel Messi and Neymar earn at PSG. All three are, unsurprisingly, among the 10 highest-paid players in the world, an unprecedented situation for a Ligue 1 team and for a club in European football.
The Brazilian arrived in 2017, the same year as Mbappé, after PSG paid his €222 million clause. He signed for five seasons, at €36 million net per year. His new contract, the one he signed in 2021 and which was unilaterally extended by the player in the summer until 2027, includes a salary cut, which Le Parisien does not specify, that is lower than the €72 million gross that Mbappé has been paid since he signed a new deal in May.
Messi’s PSG deal
Messi’s situation is similar to that of Neymar. In 2017, the Argentine forward signed a renewal with Barcelona for which he earned, according to various media, €555 million until 2021, again lower than the €630 million that Mbappé could pocket if he stays in Paris for three years (he signed for two plus an optional one). In 2021, he arrived in Paris on a free transfer. The former Barcelona captain earns €41m net per season in the French capital which includes a percentage payment in cryptocurrencies. The contract also includes a loyalty bonus. He received no signing bonus after committing for two seasons with PSG, unlike Mbappé, who received €180 million for extending his tie with the Parisians.
Unlike Mbappé and Neymar, Messi benefits from a different tax regime. The former Barcelona player, not having tax residency in France, as is the case for his two teammates, only takes a 30% tax deduction when the income tax in France for salaries above €160,000 per year is 49%. Messi’s PSG contract ends in June 2023 and he will not decide anything before the end of the World Cup in Qatar.